Our goal is to nurture spiritual growth and provide opportunities across the lifespan:
Actively engage in the process of forming religious beliefs and values
Celebrate and affirm in community those ideals that have united Unitarian Universalists throughout history;
Develop a commitment to Unitarian Universalist values that translate into action;
Care for one another and reach into the larger world with our caring;
Build a church family where children, youth, and adults interact, nurture and care for one another.
We offer the following Religious Education classes for children and youth:
Nursery
9:30 a.m. and 11:15 services
Preschool (age 3-5)
9:30 a.m. service
“We are Many, We are One,”
Stories, games and projects encourage children to honor themselves, their religious community, nature and cultures from around the world.
Grades K-2
9:30 a.m. and 11:15 services
“Picture Book U. U.”
36 picture books encourage young learners to explore the art of self-expression, to value individuality, to think for themselves and simplify their lives, and to understand that everything is connected.
Grades 6 - 7
9:30 a.m. service only
“Neighboring Faiths”
Our Junior High students will explore the history and development of different faith traditions as part of a program to visit a wide-range of houses of worship in our community.
Grades 8 - 9
11:15 a.m. service only
“Our Whole Lives”
Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.
Grades 10-12
11:15 a.m. service only
Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU), is a balanced program of social action, worship, activities and fellowship, leadership opportunities, and learning for high school students designed to develop many aspects of their religious lives. Youth and their advisors work jointly to guide and direct their own activities. The youth will be invited to attend district youth conferences and to create and present a worship service to the congregation.
We Offer the Following Religious Education Classes for Adults:
Orientation to UUism
Are you new to the church? Have you recently signed the membership book, or are you considering joining? Would you like to learn more about Unitarian Universalism? Orientation to UUism sessions focus on individual's religious journeys, discuss UU history, beliefs and polity, and explore the various groups and activities of this particular church. Spring Sessions: Wednesdays: March 28, April 4, April 11, 2012. Classes are at 7:00 p.m. in the Children's Chapel.
"Resistance and Transformation: Unitarian Universalist Social Justice History"
Wednesdays, 6:00 -7:00 p.m. beginning February 1. Enrollment limited.
Contact DRE Amy Schneidhorst at re-director@uucuc.org or 217-384-8862 for more information.
Grounded in the belief that even "failures" in our history can be instructive, this program presents the ongoing struggle of our tradition to live up to its ever-evolving ideals of social transformation. This class moves beyond celebrating heroes. Instead, this curriculum encourages us to consider to what extent individuals and the church have sustained commitment to our principles even when it means taking controversial public positions out of step with popular opinion. How do these historic examples instruct our actions within our congregations today?
This program leads Unitarian Universalists to ask the justice questions that pertain to our lives, congregations, and society today, and provides models of action that inspire us to take on the social justice challenges of our era.
Book Discussion Group: "Got is Not One" by Stephen Prothero
Beginning on Thursday, November 3rd, at 7:00 p.m., Axel Gehrmann will be leading a ten-session discussion on the book “God Is Not One” by Stephen Prothero. Prothero offers a unique and timely approach to the world’s dominant religious traditions, which stands in sharp contrast to the perspectives offered by scholars we have discussed in years past, such as Huston Smith and Karen Armstrong. Prothero’s book is “an indispensable guide to the questions human beings have asked for millennia - and to the disparate paths we are taking to answer them today.” The group will meets on the first and third Thursdays. Please contact Axel (minister@uucuc.org) with questions.
Chalice Circles are an opportunity for friends and members of the church to develop deeper connections and wider service within our community through smallgroup involvement. They organize themselves around a particular activity/issue as their point of departure, or have changing topics of discussion. Join one of our ongoing Circles, or consider starting your own. Contact the leaders of the groups for more information,or speak to our minister, Rev. Axel Gehrmann at 384-8862.
Caregiver’s Chalice Circle third Monday of the month, 7:00 p.m. Contact Karen Retzer 352-9482.
Reflective Writing Chalice Circle the third Thursday of the month, 7:00 p.m. Contact Pat Nolan, 384-7477, pnolan96@aol.com
Read our 2011-12 Religious Education Prospectus